A Beginner's Guide to Interstellar Hitchhiking
by Fearing and Trembling
Summary: "You were travelling with Han Solo?" the bounty hunter growled. "Travelling is a pretty strong word isn't it? Implies some relationship between the travelling buddies. I'd say more like um … like hitchhiking. Interstellar hitchhiking." Akio didn't plan for this much trouble when she bargained her way off the dust moon on a smuggler's ship, but sometimes … your luck runs out.


"Get to the cannon, kid!" Han shouted.

Chewy growled as another blast reflected off the Falcon.

"Which way? Up or down?" Akio called, rushing from the cockpit.

"Up! Top ventral cannon."

Akio climbed the ladder up to the gun bay.

A TIE fighter screeched beneath them, strafing the Falcon's hull.

"Down! Down, kid! You hear me? Lower ventral cannon!"

"But you said top?"

"I meant down. Now get on it! Chewy, lose this guy, would you?"

Akio rolled her eyes. Who was this old guy, anyways? She jumped down into the lower cannon. The seat swiveled beneath her.

"Whoa!" she adjusted herself.

"Tricky, I know. Now get shooting!" Han's voice crackled over the commlink.

The TIE was coming around again for a second pass. Chewy roared, banking the Falcon right.

"I see him!" Akio shouted and squeezed the triggers.

The cannon jolted beneath her, swinging her aim far left of the fighter.

"What was that?! You said you were the best gunner on Shima!"

"Just warming up … and I am!" Akio shouted back.

"Well you'd better hurry up, or we're all gonna get a lot warmer! Best gunner on Shima, ha! Chewy, get us outta here."

Akio hmphed under her breath, "If this chair wasn't trying to swing out from under my butt every time I moved, maybe ..."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, just bring me around again. I'll get him this time!"

The Falcon rolled left, and the TIE loomed beneath them. Akio checked the monitor again. The fighter drifted in and out of target. Her nerves bristled, and her stomach dropped. But with a quick breath, she closed her eyes and pulled the triggers. The TIE exploded in a brilliant blast of sparks and light.

"Hoohoo! Great shot!" Han shouted over the commlink, but Akio could hear his voice echoing through the Falcon. Chewy growled in excitement.

"Told you I was the best on Shima!" Akio smiled, climbing out of the cannon.

"One TIE doesn't make you the best, but it was a helluva long shot."

Akio stepped back into the cockpit, squeezing into the seat behind the Chewy. The little red dust moon of Shima faded away beneath them. The Imperial blockade stationed in her atmosphere were shrinking into black dots against the bright horizon. A swarm of TIE fighters erupted from one of the destroyers. They climbed towards the Falcon.

"Chewy," Han said, grabbing the lightspeed throttle.

Chewy murmured, as he placed his hairy paw on the throttle.

"No, we can't take them. Come on."

With a swift motion, they pushed the throttle up. The stars around Shima streaked across the black sky, and waving blue light warped around them. The Falcon jumped to hyperspace.

"So, where to?" Akio asked, unbuckling and dropping from her seat.

"To the closest place I can drop you, kid."

Akio smiled, "You don't mean that Mr. Solo. Come on, where to?"

"I do mean it. I just needed a gunner to get past that blockade. Now, I've gotta deliver this cargo. Don't need you around for that."

"Yea, but not just any gunner. The _best_ on Shima," she said, pulling her silky black hair back into a bun, "A real professional."

"You shot one TIE. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Chewy could've done it, but I needed him up here. And that doesn't make you a professional."

"Yea, but one TIE from a _really_ long ways away. And you're gonna pay me, right? Imma professional."

"The targeting system does most of the work."

"Look, I could help you! You're a … what even are you? A smuggler or something like that. Imma gunner. We're made for each other! You get into trouble, and I get you out! Who's gonna shoot your stupid gun when you run into more trouble, huh?"

"Whoever's claiming to be the best gunner wherever we end up next. It's nothing special."

"Oh ho, nothing special, yea? Let me show you! I'm good in a pinch and –"

The Falcon jerked out of hyperspace. Akio stumbled between Chewy and Han, knocking into the control panel.

"Watch it!"

Chewy snarled and cover the panel with a furry arm.

"Sorry, sorry! Whoa …"

A bright green planet raced towards them. Bodies of water spotted the surface. As they dropped into the atmosphere, Akio could make out great forest covering the entire world from one horizon to the other.

"It's beautiful …"

"You wanted off Shima? This's Takodana. I've gotta friend here who'll help you stay off Shima for good. You'll never have to go back if you don't want to. That good enough?"

"Yea …"

Akio couldn't look away from the lush forest that flew by under the Falcon. Maz Kanata's castle rose up from the trees before them. Its sandy stone walls were draped in banners and pennants of every color.

"Welcome to Takodana," Han smiled, "Chewy, bring us down over there."

The Falcon stilled hummed as Han walked Akio down the cargo bay door.

"Now, just go in and ask for Maz. Say Han set you. She'll help you out."

"You're not coming in?"

Han laughed, "No, this cargo drop will be enough excitement for one day."

Akio frowned, "Don't think it'll go well? Need an extra gun?"

Han smiled, but shook his head, "You don't give up do you? Here, take your credits and go. I'll see ya around, kid."

"Sure," Akio hmphed.

But the Falcon was already lifting off again and Han disappearing into the cargo bay. Akio turned towards the castle. Pocketing the credits, she strode across the beach and up to the dark iron doors. They slid open as she approached, and music spilled out of the cantina. She smiled despite herself and hurried up the steps.

Inside was more sound and color than Akio had ever heard or seen on the little red moon of Shima. A band played in the corner under the general hum of conversations. All sorts of strange creatures and droids lurked about the bar and in the booths around the wall. Akio stepped nervously within, pressing her hands into the pockets of her jacket and clutching the few credits jingling there.

"Lost?" a duros called, his wide red eyes searching over her.

Akio looked behind her, "Me? Oh! No, no. Thank you."

She stumbled over her words, and her cheeks reddened.

"Are you Maz?"

The duros only laughed and turned back to his drink. Akio redden more. How was she such an idiot sometimes? She trotted past him and to the bar, her hands still shoved in her pockets. She leaned over the counter.

"You know Maz?"

"Yes, I know Maz."

"I need to speak to her. A friend sent me."

"Ah? Friends send all sorts of people. Who you are depends on the friend … and what friend would that be?"

"Han Solo," Akio smiled.

"Ah ha! A good friend to have been sent by. I suspect you're in some trouble then, huh? Han always sends kids in trouble. It may've seemed like he was dumping you … but he's a sweetheart deep down. He's only looking out for you, child."

Akio rolled her eyes. Sure, he was.

"Look, do you know Maz or not?" she sighed.

"I _am_ Maz, child."

Akio's eyes widened, "You're Maz?"

Maz Kanata zoomed her goggles, her beady eyes growing twice their size, "And _who_ are you?"

"I'm Akio. I, um … I do need help. I've just … _unofficially_ dropped out of the Imperial Academy on Shima. I need a place to lay low."

Maz smiled, "Han's sent you to the right place. He always does. Where is he?"

"Headed to some deal. Wouldn't tell me where."

"Don't take it personally, he doesn't tell most people most things. Here, come with me. I'll get you a room."

She stepped out from behind the counter and headed for the stairs.

"I've credits," Akio said, pulling them from her pocket.

"Oh, no one on the run pays the first night … just steep rent after that. And one rule … absolutely _no_ violence. Or you'll have to deal with Emmie."

Maz motioned to the copper plated protocol droid standing behind the counter. ME-8D9 didn't look like much. But then again, neither did Akio.

"I'll be out of here soon as I can, don't worry," she said, not looking away from the droid.

"Oh, I'm not worried. I've seen ones like you before. Always eager to leave, never wanting to stay."

"What, stay on Shima? Yea, you'd wanna leave too if you'd grown up there. Just a pile of dust."

"Not just Shima. Here, there … wherever you're headed next. Always the same. Always eager to leave. Here's your room."

Akio stepped into the little bedroom. The air was cool inside; the stone walls covered in shelves of pottery and ancient tomes.

She smiled and turned back to Maz, "It's lovely."

"Oh course, dear. Anything for a friend of Han," the little orange woman said as she wandered back down the hallway.

Akio leaned out of the door, "Thank you … and you've got me wrong! I'm just searching for a new home. I'll settle down when I find it."

"They all do," Maz called with a wave of her hand.

Akio sighed and turned back to the little room. Some old people thought they knew everything. She dropped down on the cot and pried off her boots. They were tall, black Imperial boots. Part of the Imperial flight suit she still wore. She was surprised no one had noticed in the cantina downstairs. She pulled her arms out of the jumpsuit sleeves and tied them around her waist, so the Imperial insignia was hidden. That would have to do for now. She let her hair out of the bun and with another sigh, she fell back onto the fur blankets draped over the cot.

Suddenly a pounding echoed off the door. Akio jolted back up, fumbling to pull her boots back on.

"Yes?"

"Open up," a gruff voice called.

She tried not to judge people off first impressions, but whoever owned that voice sounded like trouble. She searched the room for a blaster or something. Why a blaster would be laying around in the guest room, she wasn't sure. But she wasn't exactly good at working with sound logic and panic at the same time.

"You hear me? Open up!"

"Yea, yea!" Akio shouted back, more annoyed than worried now.

If someone was gonna scare her like this, they might as well be polite about it. She settled on one of the clay pots as her weapon of choice. Well, not "of choice," but it was the best she had. Punching the key pad, the iron door slid open.

A bulky quarren loomed over her. His pinkish orange tentacles nearly brushed her face. She hoped her repulsion wasn't too obvious as she stepped back.

"What'd you want?"

A woman stepped out from behind the quarren. She had her arms folded tightly behind her back, and her posture said everything about her manner but free and easy. On her chest hung a golden amulet. It bounced with every step she took, striding around the room. Her dark eyes inspected the cot, then the shelves, then Akio.

"My associate and I were wondering … what was an Imperial pilot doing on Takodana?"

Akio frowned. So, someone had noticed. Brilliant.

"I'll be honest … that's a fair question. Don't exactly have an excuse either."

"Oh no! We've heard your excuse already, don't worry. A deserter, hmm? Not uncommon."

The woman continued to pace around Akio. It was making her more dizzy than uncomfortable at this point.

"Look ma'am, I was really busy napping. Does this have a point, or are we just chattin' for the fun of it? Because I'm not having fun."

The woman twirled the golden amulet in between her fingers, staring at it.

"Oh, we're getting there ..."

Akio audibly sighed, "Then let's get there alright? I deserted."

"And you were travelling with Han Solo," she stopped pacing.

Oh, this was not the point Akio hoped they were getting to. Honestly, she didn't know what point she was hoping for, but it wasn't this one.

"Well I mean, _travelling_ is a pretty strong word isn't it? Implies all sorts of time spent together. Kinda builds up expectations of some sorta relationship between, you know, the travelling buddies. I'd say more like um … more like hitchhiking. Interstellar hitchhiking."

Akio checked the door. Yep, still blocked by their quarren pal. He slowly pulled a blaster pistol from his belt.

"Hey, hey! Remember Maz's rule? No violence! I don't like breaking rules or pottery, but I'll do it," she said, raising the clay pot over her head and dropping into a fighting stance.

The woman gently took the pot from Akio's hand, "No violence … just tell us where he was going."

Akio straightened up again, "You've gotta lotta nerve. That's my pot. Hand it back."

"Where's Han Solo?"

"Where's my pottery? Hup! There it is … in your hand. Hand it back."

The quarren raised his pistol.

Akio threw up her hands, "Okay, forget the pot. It means nothing to me."

"Solo?"

"Also, means nothing to me."

"Then tells us where he's gone."

"Yea … about that …"

"Your life? Does that mean anything to you?"

"Well, I'm quite fond of it at the moment, but get back to me in a bit. My opinion on the matter swings with my mood."

The woman grabbed Akio's shoulder and pinned her to the wall. With one swift movement, she wrapped the golden amulet's chain around Akio's neck and pulled tight.

"Where's Solo?!" she spat.

"I don't know! I don't know!" Akio shouted, trying to wriggle out of the woman's grip.

The woman raised her hand to strike Akio.

"He didn't tell me! Alright? He didn't tell me!"

She paused for a moment, then let Akio go, pulling back the amulet.

"That's all? He didn't tell you?"

"I don't know … he was headed to some big deal. He seemed pretty worried."

"That's the one I told you about," the quarren spoke up, his deep voice making Akio jump, "The one over in Mos Eisley."

"That's all?" the woman hissed.

"Yea … yea, that's all," Akio shrunk away from her.

She smiled and turned to the door.

"See, now wasn't that alright? No violence."

"The wall and my shoulder strongly disagree," Akio grunted as they stepped out of the room.

"Hey, what's your name, lady?" Akio called.

The woman only smiled and turned through the door.

The door slid shut behind the two intruders. Akio sat back down on the cot and dropped her head in her hands. What the heck? That could've been worse. It wasn't nearly the closest scrape she'd been in. Probably was gonna be worse for Han, though. That was unfortunate. She liked Han … well no, she liked Chewy. Han was just alright … dang it, no. She liked Han, too. He'd looked out for her. Aw, and now she'd gone and snitched on him. Crap.

This was no time to be developing a conscious. She stood and paced the room. Maybe it wasn't as bad as all that. Maybe not a conscious … just like a "you look out for me; I look out for you sorta thing." Ugh! She did _not_ feel like this. But she rolled her eyes and stepped to the door. Oh! And that woman still had her pottery. Now it was personal.

She tightened the knotted sleeves around her waist and pulled her hair up into a bun again. Bad ass time. She strode through the door and out into the hallway. The pottery was sitting on the floor outside. Oh … okay … that's fine. Little less personal. She picked it up and put it back on the shelf. She turned back to the door. Bad ass time was a little deflated, but still kicking.

With confident (maybe just pissed, not confident) strides, she stormed down to the cantina. Maz say her jumping down the stairs.

"Was the room really that bad? Didn't think you'd be gone so soon," she laughed.

"The room was lovely, Maz. But I've had a run in with a real ass hat and a quarren. You see them?"

Maz pointed to the door. The two had just disappeared through it.

"Thanks!" Akio shouted as she leapt towards the exit.

She caught hold of the doorframe and spun back around, "Hey, where's Mos Eisley?"

"Tatooine, dear!" Maz called, "Why?"

But Akio had already sprinted back through the door and into the courtyard outside the cantina.

"Hey, mean lady!" Akio shouted, "Hold up!"

The woman turned around, and the quarren drew his blaster again.

"What do you want?" the woman sneered.

"There's one more thing I didn't tell you about Han," Akio said, jogging up to her.

"What?"

Akio couldn't think of anything witty to say as she socked the woman clean in the mouth. The quarren jumped back and fired his pistol. The bolt whizzed over Akio's shoulder, blasting the wall behind her.

"Start the ship!" the woman shouted.

The quarren turned and ran from the courtyard.

The woman spat out blood from her teeth, then turned on Akio.

"Crap …" Akio breathed.

A swift knee found her gut and dropped Akio to the ground. A boot followed to her face, laying her out on her back.

"… craaap," she wheezed.

ME-8D9 stepped out of the cantina door. Akio could hear Maz shouting something about her _one_ rule. Was it so much to ask?

The woman took one look at ME-8D9 and turned towards the forest, scrambling out of the courtyard. Maz came running down the steps and knelt by Akio's side. She took a cloth from her pocket and wiped the blood from Akio's nose.

"Aw, you're not so bad off. Come on, stand up."

Akio struggled to her knees, eye level with the little woman.

She placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, "Han needs you. Here, take this."

Maz pressed a blaster into Akio's hand.

"It'll do a lot more than your fist. Now, go! Hurry!"

Akio nodded, thanking Maz and stumbling to her feet.

"Run, child!"

Akio sprinted from the courtyard after the woman.

She broke into the forest and skidded to a halt. The woman was clambering over the next rise, disappearing among the trees. Akio raised the blaster and took two wild shots. They tore through the leaves but came nowhere near her target. With a sigh, she sprinted after her.

She took the next rise in stride and came to the crest of the hill. A blaster cannon screeched, and the beam roared over her head, exploding in the forest behind her.

Akio swore as she dropped to the dirt.

The quarren had their ship booted up and humming just above the ground. He fired two more blast from the ship's cannons. Both soared high overhead. But if their job was to keep Akio put and possibly piss her pants a little, they didn't miss at all. She huddled in the dirt and ferns, watching the woman grab onto the port ladder and lift off with the ship. As it disappeared among the clouds, she stood up and ran into the clearing.

In the middle of the trees were the crumbling of an ancient temple with several other ships docked around it. Akio rushed to the only one with an open bay door. It was only a freighter, but it would have to do. She stormed up the ramp and into the cockpit. A rather dopey looking protocol droid sat there. His head swiveled around to see the intruder.

"Dear lord!"

"You know how to fly this thing?" Akio asked, sitting down in the pilot's seat.

"Well, yes of course. Who are you?"

"You know how to get to Tatooine?"

"It's in the internal computers. I must ask why –"

"Get flying," she drew the blaster and held it to his side.

The freighter warped out from hyperspace, and Tatooine shot into view. They raced towards the surface.

"Bring us down to Mos Eisley," Akio said, not moving the blaster.

"Yes ma'am. But I must warn you, Mos Eisley is known for dodgy characters."

"Do I look like chancers and cheats scare me?"

"I am not programed to make assumptions based on physical appearance."

They did. They did scare her. But the city was already growing upon the horizon. No going back now … no, that was dumb. Of course, she could go back now. She had a ship. She had a blaster and a few credits. She could be _anywhere_ else in the galaxy. But … she owed it to Han. He'd gotten her off of Shima. He'd gotten her out of the Academy and past the blockade. And some weird moral compass deep down inside was swinging its stupid little needle towards Mos Eisley.

"Bring us down," she sighed.

The city of sand flew by underneath them. The droid banked left and drew them near the spaceport.

"Look!" Akio shouted, pointing down at the ships docked there.

"I have quite literally no context for what I am to be looking at," the droid drawled, peering over the cockpit window.

"The Falcon, right there. Bring us down next to it."

"Once again, a significant lack of context is being provided."

Akio raced down the cargo bay ramp and out onto the hot desert sand. As soon her last step echoed off the metal ramp, the freighter started lifting off again. Squinting, she turned around and waved goodbye up to the droid. She maybe a hijacker, but she was a grateful hijacker, and she had manners. However, she was pretty sure the sentiment was lost on the droid. If fluorescently glowing eyes could glare, she was pretty sure his were.

Akio spun around. The cargo bay to the Falcon hung up, and she could hear noise from inside. Stuffing the blaster between the knotted sleeves of her flight suit, she climbed up the ramp.

"Han?" she called.

She heard a low growl from inside.

"Chewy! Where's Han?" she asked, trotting up into the ship.

Chewy came around the corner of the corridor carrying a wide metal crate in his arms. Another was stacked on top of that. He let out a soft, welcoming rumble. Akio smiled and stepped out of his way.

"I'll just follow you, then," she laughed.

The wookie led her down the stairs and out into the spaceport. He weaved between the freighters and fighters, bring her to an empty launch pad. Han stood with his back to them. His leather jacket was dusted in sand. His hand drifted near the blaster on his belt. He was staring down the barrels of about seven blasters. Seven members of the Yorii clan stood behind those blasters. But Chewy seemed unconcerned, as they approached. A twi'lek woman stepped forward, her pale blue skin and leather jacket covered in dust. She had goggles pulled over her eyes.

"That all of it? Who's she?" the twi'lek asked.

"Yea, that's all of it. Wait, she who?"

Han spun around, wide eyed.

"I told you to stay put with Maz, kid."

Chewy growled at Han.

"I don't care if you think it's fine. Set that down and get her back to the Falcon."

"Wait, Mr. Han … Mr. Solo, look. These two pricks from Takodana are coming after you. Some woman and a quarren."

"What?" the twi'lek stepped back. She charged her blaster. The others followed suit.

"Wait! Wait!" Han shouted, throwing up his hands.

"You said some woman and a quarren? Han Solo, I swear if Thorne Ami'ra and that hired gun of hers followed you here …"

"It's alright. We'll deal with them."

"Deal with them? It's Thorne Ami'ra! If she tries to pinch this deal, we're all dead," the twi'lek turned to Akio, "She leave Takodana before you, girl?"

"Yea, I uh … I chased them here."

"Damn," Han sighed.

"Then they're already –"

A blast tore through the twi'lek's shoulder. The Yorii clan scrambled off the launch pad.

Everything erupted into chaos. The quarren stood up from the rooftop he'd been hiding on and unleashed a flurry of fire from the blaster cannon he swung at his hip. All the remaining Yorii desperately fired back.

"Chewy, get the girl back to the ship!" Han shouted, ducking for cover.

Chewy dropped the crates and ran to Akio.

"No, wait! I can fight!" Akio pulled the blaster from her sleeves.

"You're not a fighter!" Han yelled back at her, "You're not the _best gunner_ on Shima! You're a kid! Get back to the Falcon!"

Akio raised her blaster and began firing violently at the quarren. Chewy roared and grabbed her by the arm, dragging her from the launch pad.

"Chewy! Let me go," she shouted, as the blaster fire faded into the distance.

But the wookie held tight. Her heels left ruts in the sand trailing all the way back to the Falcon. What good was she here?! What good was Han there?! What, did he still think the deal was gonna go down? If it hadn't been for her, he could've been fried. Okay, actually, her warning hadn't done much. Rest in peace that poor twi'lek woman. Dang it, Han! Why wasn't he coming back?

"Chewy, come on we've gotta go back!"

Chewy only growled and thudded towards the cockpit.

"What? You gonna leave him? He's getting torn up out there!"

Chewy sat down in the copilot seat and booted up the engine. He murmured a rumbling growl.

"Oh ho, your job's to get the Falcon ready, is that it? Just have the engines hot and runnin' for when Han comes racing back here. Perfect!"

Chewy only whimpered.

Ah! Seriously? She was gonna sit here while Han stuck his neck out for … them? For what? Why was he even still on that launch pad?

"Chewy, what's in those crates?"

Chewy growled.

"Is that worth sticking around out there for?"

He shook his head.

"Shoot. He should be back by now. Lift us off and swing around to the launch pad. We've gotta help him!"

Chewy growled again as he flipped the control switches.

"What'd you mean how're we gonna help? Imma hop in the gun," Akio shouted, racing down the corridor, " _I'm_ the best gunner on Shima!"

She dropped into the lower ventral gun, the seat swiveling violently beneath her. Clouds of dust bellowed out from under the Falcon as it lifted off into the air. Chewy raised her just above the other ships in the spaceport and drifted over to the launch pad.

It was bad. Three of the Yorii clan were laid out dead upon the pad. The other four were firing every direction. At the quarren. At Thorne, who'd shown up on the far side of the pad, perched atop a small freighter. And at Han. They had him pinned down.

"Bring me around!" Akio shouted into the commlink.

The Falcon banked around the pad, and the Yorii clan came into her targeting system. She pulled the trigger, exploding what was left of the clan into a flash of light and fire.

"Oh!" Akio cringed.

That didn't even seem fair.

But suddenly the quarren turned on her. His blaster cannon riddled the gun bay.

"Pull up, Chewy! Pull up!" Akio shouted.

The Falcon rose up above the launch pad. Way down below, Akio could see Thorne drop down from the freighter she'd been hiding on. She raced across the launch pad and slid behind the pile of crates, not far from where Han was crouched. He stood up and fired at her, but she'd already ducked out of the way.

The quarren turned from the Falcon, back to Han. He lit up the crates Han was hiding behind with a torrent of blaster fire, dropping the smuggler back down into cover.

"Oh, bad move, buddy," Akio smirked as she swiveled the gun around again. The cannon screeched as she blasted the rooftop into pieces. Chunks of sandstone rained down on Han and Thorne.

"Okay, one more!" Akio shouted to Chewy, "Get me a clear shot, pal."

But Thorne was too close to Han. He desperately tried to break for better cover, but every time he moved, she laid down a hail of fire.

"Come on, come on," Akio whispered, swiveling this way and that in the turret. Nothing presented itself. There were no openings. Nothing close enough to get Thorne without frying Han in the blast.

"Chewy, I don't know what to do!"

He growled back down to her.

"No, no! Don't set us down. Han will never make it to the door, and I won't be able to cover him if we're on the ground."

Chewy kept circling over the launch pad. There was nothing to do but watch.

Suddenly, movement caught Akio's eye. A band of scavengers were running towards the launch pad. Chewy roared.

"I see them! They're coming for the crates!"

Oh no, oh no. She couldn't handle this. What was she supposed to do? In a moment, they'd be on top of Han. He'd be pinned and out flanked. She wasn't ready for this. She wasn't a fighter. She was just some kid.

She took aim at Thorne again. There was a shot … but no, she couldn't make it. Her hands were shaking too much. She couldn't steady the cannon if her life depended on it. And Han's did. She wasn't a gunner. She hadn't even trained to be an Imperial gunner. She was a cadet at the Academy. She'd never even sat in a gun bay before the Falcon. She'd lied her way here. She'd lied to Han to get off Shima, and now she'd lied to herself to plant her butt right there. In a gun bay. Watching uselessly. She really convinced herself she was someone for a moment there. That she could've make that shot.

The scavengers weaved in and out of the support struts holding up the docked spacecrafts, closing in on Han. She couldn't get a clear shot at them for all the freighters and fighters they were running beneath. And the freaking support struts. Every time they ran out from under a ship, they ran back behind one of those struts. Ah! She squeezed the triggers anyways. The struts erupted in a cascade of sparks. She fired again and again. The scavengers unlucky enough to be caught in the open flew in every direction. And the strut began to crumble. Suddenly, the fighter it supported lurched beneath its own weight. The strut bent and buckled. The ship crashed down and exploded upon the scavengers below.

That wasn't at all what she had in mind. But then … something came to her mind. She banked the turret hard back to Thorne. Steadying her hands as best she could, she brought the target system down on the woman … then, a little up … and to the left. There. The freighter Thorne had been perched upon. Akio focused in on one of the struts.

" _Best,_ " she fired upon the support.

" _Damn_ ," she fired again. It began to buckle.

" _Gunner,_ " the cannon screamed. The metal bent violently.

" _On Shima,_ " Akio shouted, firing over and over on the strut. It exploded into a shower of sparks.

The freighter pitched, leaning dangerously forward. Thorne turned around. Her eyes wide in terror, just as the ship crumbled down to the ground. The hull slid across the launch pad and slammed into Thorne Ami'ra, screeching to a stop just a breath away from Han.

Han staggered back from the pile of crates. All around him, freighters and fighters smoldered. He could hear angry shouting somewhere nearby in the spaceport. But suddenly a familiar hum drowned it out. The Falcon lowered onto what was left of the launch pad. The cargo bay door hissed open, and Chewy stepped down. Han stumbled around the clearing, side stepping bodies and little pockets of fire. Thorne's golden amulet lay some ways away from the smashed hull of the smoking freighter. Han picked it up and jumped up onto the cargo ramp of the Falcon.

"You didn't make this mess, did you?" he asked Chewy, stepping into the corridor.

Chewy growled.

"Alright, alright. I'll be more careful next time. Just get us out of here."

Chewy nodded and thudded towards the cockpit.

Han rolled his eyes and stepped towards the cockpit as well but froze. Akio climbed up and out of the vernal cannon. He looked at her hard for a moment. She stared wide eyed up at him. She was obviously still a little shaken up. He smirked, then tossed her Thorne's amulet.

"You did good."

Akio caught the necklace and smiled, "Best gunner on Shima?"

"Don't get cocky, kid."


End file.
